Documentaries to Enjoy!
We all search for what to watch these days. I’ve had a recent love affair with documentary films. I wanted to share the love. There are many good series to fill the evenings. But I was looking for some good stories that are complete, not in multiple episodes. So this post will give you links to the trailers of the films on my list. I also tell you which platform you can find the film. I hope you’ll take a look at some new entertainment that gives you a gentle history educational lesson. Kinda like watching anything Ken Burns produces. He wasn’t involved in any of these though! teehee.
First up ZZ Top That Little Ol’ Band From Texas. These bearded gentlemen from Texas produced some of the best music for the sound track of my teen years. I still love their style. My biggest take away from this flick was how they stuck with their own style. They worked on it. They took pride in their work and with a little luck they rose to superstardom. Fair warning there is some blue language, they are rockers after all. Stay for the music! On Netflix.
Since I was looking for music stories I tried The Jesus Music next. I was surprised by the beginnings of Christian Contemporary Music. Hippies?! Really. As you will see some of the bands had a hard time playing in churches who didn’t like their long hair or rock and roll, even if the message was love. Like any industry it’s continuing to grow and evolve. The movie made me want to dive back into tunes I’ve enjoyed. I want to hear them on a more regular basis. On Hulu, Prime, Apple TV, and Disney+.
Another music documentary I really loved was Count Me In. The world of rock and roll drummers is fascinating. I love their enthusiasm; in fact one of the best parts of the film is when they use old family footage of different drummers getting their first drum kits. Sweet and amazing, the rhythm is in them from birth! teehee. On Netflix.
Music and history again collide in The Black Church. Another story I thought I might know, but really didn’t. In four hour-long episodes they trace the history and current state of The Black Church. It is a story I’m glad I watched. I am continuing my education of all the things I don’t know about being a Black American. On PBS.
Everyone has probably already told you to watch Fantastic Fungi. A movie about mushrooms? Really? Why on earth would I even care? I do now! In fact I cried twice while watching this film. Tears of joy. Fungi care for this planet in ways that amaze and disgust but never disappoint. I was touched by how close to fungi I am everyday, all day. The slow motion photography is reason enough to watch this documentary. On Netflix, Prime, Vudu, Apple TV
The Biggest Little Farm just makes you feel good. Someone is doing something for the earth and it’s working! The planet will heal. Of course it will take hard work and time but it will be beautiful and delicious too. I really liked this film it made me wish I didn’t have two brown thumbs. I am glad we each have a passion that can guide us. Farmers may very well save the world. On Hulu, Prime, Apple TV, Vudu, Redbox
The farming food theme continues with High On The Hog, How African American Cuisine Transformed America. Wow the history lesson behind this story is one I wish I could taste more of. So many things to learn here. A very rich story worth your time. On Netflix.
And to round out my documentary list a final food entry: Chef’s Table. There are six seasons of this show. They start with gifted restauranteurs and the net gets wider as the seasons progress to include street vendors, a monk and other unlikely chefs. After watching this you’ll want to go to one of these destination eateries. I can say we’ve been to Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York. It the most expensive meal I ever had and still lives in my heart as a marvelous experience. Chef’s Table is a delicious way to spend an evening. Get a gourmet snack for the viewing though. teehee. On Netflix.